New Age consumers will be able to toast the next millennium with an Inner G  a charged drink from Procter & Gamble that the company says will quench thirst and fight fatigue all in one gulp.

The Cincinnati packaged-goods giant is set to release Inner G  an extension of its Sunny Delight drink line  early next year, a P&G spokeswoman said Friday. It's the first time P&G has gotten into the booming health and wellness food and beverage market.

The new drink, blended with the herbal supplements ginseng, guarana and green tea, also contains about 5 percent fruit juice and will come in raspberry, mango and peach flavors.

The herbal extracts give Inner G its fatigue-fighting ability and also classify the drink as a so-called neutraceutical, a functional food or beverage that acts as a preventive medicine or performance enhancer.

Beverages made with such ingredients as guarana  a berry fruit from the Amazon that is supposed to have a stimulating effect on the mind and body  represent one of the fastest-growing consumer goods categories.

Last year, sports bever ages, which include energy drinks, generated $538.1 million in sales. That is up 11 percent from sales of $483.4 million in 1997, according to figures supplied by New York-based Beverage Marketing Corp.

Energy drinks accounted for a large percentage of the sales spike, said Mark Woodburn, chief financial officer of the New York-based Natural Health Trends Corp.

Natural Health Trends markets a full line of herbally enhanced drinks with natural health benefits.

We're a small company compared to P&G, and we don't have their marketing muscle, but we've seen a dramatic increase in sales in the past year, Mr. Woodburn said.

He said an aging baby-boom population that is looking for alternative methods to maintain health has expanded the market for neutraceuticals from the back corners of health food stores.

People are becoming more aware of the benefits of safe and natural products and are turning to them to help prevent health issues instead of going to the doctor, Mr. Woodburn said.

The trend could help Inner G carve out a significant share of the estimated $10 billion market for health and wellness foods and drinks.

Inner G is the second line extension of the Sunny D line in the past six months. In May, P&G introduced Sunny Delight Eclipse, a lighter, sweeter version of the original drink that comes in three flavors.